Overview

In this book, Jason A. Staples proposes a new paradigm for how the biblical concept of Israel developed in Early Judaism and how that concept impacted Jewish apocalyptic hopes for restoration after the Babylonian Exile. Challenging conventional assumptions about Israelite identity in antiquity, his argument is based on a close analysis of a vast corpus of biblical and other early Jewish literature and material evidence. Staples demonstrates that continued aspirations for Israel's restoration in the context of diaspora and imperial domination remained central to Jewish conceptions of Israelite identity throughout the final centuries before Christianity and even into the early part of the Common Era. He also shows that Israelite identity was more diverse in antiquity than is typically appreciated in modern scholarship. His book lays the groundwork for a better understanding of the so-called 'parting of the ways' between Judaism and Christianity and how earliest Christianity itself grew out of hopes for Israel's restoration.

Full Product Details

Author:   Jason A. Staples
Publisher:   Cambridge University Press
Imprint:   Cambridge University Press
Dimensions:   Width: 15.20cm , Height: 2.60cm , Length: 22.90cm
Weight:   0.660kg
ISBN:  

9781108822893

ISBN 10:   1108822894
Pages:   450
Publication Date:   01 September 2022
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Manufactured on demand  
We will order this item for you from a manufactured on demand supplier.

Table of Contents

Preface; Abbreviations; Introduction: investigating the idea of Israel; Part I. Israel's Disputed Birthright: 1. Jews and Israelites in antiquity: the need for a new paradigm; 2. The other Israelites: Samaritans, Hebrews, and non-Jewish Israel; Part II. Restoration Eschatology and the Construction of Biblical Israel: 3. Judah's bible and the narrative construction of biblical Israel; 4. Between disaster and restoration: the prophets, exile, and restoration eschatology; 5. The restoration of Israel in the Persian and Hellenistic periods: incomplete, delayed, failed; Part III. Israel and Restoration Eschatology in the Diaspora: 6. Exile and Diaspora theology; 7. Israel, Jews, and restoration eschatology in Josephus; 8. Israel and restoration in Philo of Alexandria; 9. Exile and Israel's restoration in the dead sea scrolls; 10. Israel, Jews, and restoration in other second temple narrative literature; 11. Israel in second temple eschatological and apocalyptic literature; 12. Israel, Hebrews, Jews, and restoration eschatology; Bibliography; Index of primary sources; General index.

Reviews

'Jason Staples, in The Idea of Israel in Second Temple Judaism, takes a fresh approach to aspects of this subject. He states that his purpose is to explore the concept, examining how the concept of Israel was developed.' Rabbi Dr Charles, Church Times 'This is an important and valuable book ... Highly recommended.' J. S. Kaminsky, Choice Magazine

Author Information

Jason A. Staples is Assistant Teaching Professor in the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies at North Carolina State University. He is a 2008 recipient of at the Jacob K. Javits Fellowship and the author of numerous articles on ancient Judaism and early Christianity.

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